Bishop Guilty of Shielding Abuser

By

Mark Peters

Updated Sept. 6, 2012 7:31 p.m. ET

A Roman Catholic bishop in Missouri was found guilty of failing to tell authorities about child pornography that was produced by a priest under his supervision, making the bishop what is believed to be the highest ranking church official in the U.S. convicted in the sex-abuse scandal.

Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence on Thursday found Robert Finn, bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., guilty on one of two misdemeanor criminal counts, and sentenced him to two years of probation. Separate,...